My header art reflects a major change in how I journal -- and that will be the focus of this post. Over forty years ago I started keeping a journal in black, hardbound blank books ... words and sketches. In recent years I've been disappointed with the paper that comes in similar hardbound books. It warps whenever I use watercolor. Good paper comes in expensive books. So, in recent years I have been keeping both a 'black book' and an Aquabee sketch book. But that is a nuisance. I'd rather keep more of my words and sketches together.
Not using a 'black book' feels a little like saying "Good Bye" to an old friend, but I am looking forward to having better paper to paint on. I haven't been doing as much 'sketchbook painting' as I'd like during the past couple of years. Hopefully switching books will get those juices flowing again.
It was almost a month ago that I made the switch. The little trumpeter at the top of the page is a metal sculpture found at the butterfly gardens in Elkton, Oregon.
... and here are some more sketches done during the past month. Some are started totally 'in the field'; some are started in the field and finished at home; and a few are drawn from my laptop photos after I got home.
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| Three Double-crested Cormorants on a Log |
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A great blue heron perches in a tall tree waiting for the tide to go out at Charleston Harbor. Soon it will be able to forage along the exposed shoreline.
A black-tailed deer fawn pauses and looks at me. In September some have already lost their spots, but not this one.
After a month of doing all my journaling in an Aquabee sketchbook, I'm happy to see the juices are flowing......
And here is a full page -- words and art togther in my new Aquabee journal:
